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George Mercer

  • Born June 23, 1733 at Marlborough Plantation, Virginia
  • Parents: John and Catherine Mason Mercer
  • Likely attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, 1751 – 1752
  • Occupation: surveyor and military officer
  • Married Mary Neville
  • Residence:
    • Virginia, 1733 – 1765
    • England, 1765 – 1784
  • Offices held:
    • Lieutenant and later Captain, First Virginia Regiment, 1754 – 1757
    • Lieutenant Colonel, Second Virginia Regiment, 1758 – 1759
    • Assistant Deputy Quartermaster-General for Maryland and Virginia, 1759 – 1760
    • Burgess, Virginia General Assembly, 1761 – 1765
    • Agent (in England) for the Ohio Company, 1763 – 1764
    • Stamp Collector for Maryland and Virginia, 1765
    • Appointed Governor of North Carolina, but never assumed the role
  • Wounded at Battle of Fort Necessary during the French and Indian War while serving as aide-de-camp to George Washington
  • Died April 1784 in London, England

While Mercer was in England serving as an agent for the Ohio Company, he was appointed to the position of stamp collector for the colonies of Maryland and Virginia. Upon arriving in Virginia, he became the target of abuse and strong negative public opinion led by Richard Henry Lee. He resigned his position as stamp collector and returned to England a mere four weeks after his arrival in Virginia. He entrusted the stamps to a British officer in command of His Majesty's ship, "Rainbow."

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